Another (this time, unsurprising) scoop by The Verge: "Office Mobile will debut in the form of free apps that allow Android and iOS users to view Microsoft Office documents on the move. Like the existing SkyDrive and OneNote apps, Office Mobile will require a Microsoft account. On first launch, a Microsoft account will provide access to the basic viewing functionality in the apps. Word, PowerPoint, and Excel documents will all be supported, and edit functionality can be enabled with an Office 365 subscription." Smart move to get users to go subscription.

I knew that had to be the only way MS would do this. Their phone isn't going to capture market share overnight nor will the Windows tablet like things take over the tablet market. If they aren't careful someone else will take over the office app category for those devices, with the possibility to then spread to the desktop.

I still can't understand why libre/open office hasn't tried to fill that gap.

Because OOo's build system was really messed up and LibreOffice inherited it. You can only compile natively, no cross-compilations. I should know, I tried to compile OOo for Maemo back in the day and switched to AbiWord once I learned this wasn't possible (see first thread in the comments for this article).

If LibreOffice hasn't fixed that yet, the very good question remains: why?

Because coding on Office clones for free is a rather boring way to spend your life I suspect.

The best software is written when the developers are filling a need they themselves have, but anyone who needs an Office suite can go out and buy Office. If LibreOffice comes up with some more innovative plan than being like Office, but free, and a bit more 2003, I doubt it will actually go anywhere without a lot of money to pay developers to work on it.

Microsoft is in an difficult position, for years they preached that the general public NEEDED MSOffice and Outlook on their computers. But the public decided otherwise and bought iPads, Macs and Android devices. Hundreds of milions of them, all without those "essential" Microsoft programs...and they found out they didn't need them.

So, here comes plan B...sell Office to Android and iOS users...who have lived happily without MSOffice, why would they need out now?